Electric-switch indicator.



(3.3, THOM ASQ ELECTRIO SWITCH INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1913.

1-, 1 90:04 1 Pat nted July 4,191

iym llliiw'al UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. THOMAS, or BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, AssI NOR To THE BRYANT ELEC- TRIG COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPOR'I, COnNE T CUT, A CORPORATION or CONNEC ICUT;

'ELEC RIC-sWTTCH iNDICATOR.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. THoMAs, a

citizen of the United States of America, and

tric switch indicator and particularly to an indicator for pull switches, the special object of" my invention being to provide an eflicient indicating mechanism which -may be conveniently installed in an electric lamp socket of the pull switch type.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken elevation of an electric lamp socket of the pull type in which my invention is illustratively embodied in one form;

Fig. 2 is a broken elevation of the same showing the switch in another position; Fig. 3 is a similar View of the socket .body alone showing the indicator in section; Fig. 4 is a plan of the. switch body showing the arrangement of this type of-in'dicator therein; Figs. 5 and 6 are section and partial elevation of the casing, illustrating a detail; Fig. 7 is a broken section through a pull socket showing a second embodiment-of my invention therein; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the.

switch body shown in Fig. 7 f

Referring first to Figs. 7 and 8, the present invention is shown embodied in anelectrio pull socket comprising the usual cap 10 and shell 11 with insulating lining 12. The

socket body comprises the usual'upper and lower insulating buttons 13 and 14c, the latter carrying the lamp contacts, of which but the shell 15 is here shown. The wire and switch terminals are of the character shown in the Hubbell Patent (393,799, the binding 'screws 16 and 17 being mounted onspacing bars between the buttons 13 and 14:. The

switch terminal plates are mounted on the Specification of Letters Patent.

A lication filed an. 4, 1913. Serial No. 771,712.

Patented July 4., 1916.

20 is cased with a disk 51% insulating material 23 designed to interpose a barrier,be-

tween the parting contacts on the opening of the Switch and thus to extinguish the are which tends to form between the same.- The skirt 24 of insulation which surroundsthe outer edges of these contacts affords ready means for effecting an indication ofthe' position.of the switch. Where the disk moves quarter of a turn on each change of posit1on of the switch, it is sufiicient to space around the periphery of the skirt 2 4 In;

words On and Ofi' at intervals of 90 andto open a sight aperture or window 25 in the shell and lining at-a point in register reveal the position of the switch.

Owing to the general construction of the interior of the socket; it is impossible to bring the periphery of the disk very close to the window 25. To render the indication more conspicuous, the interior of the socket -may be rendered luminous in any suitable manner, as for example by painting the interior lining 12 white orby aflixing 'thereto a white reflecting surface such as a-sheet of white paper 26. The light which enters through window 25 is thereby reflected upon the indicating periphery of. the disk so that the indications thereon may be more easily read. I

The reading oi the indicator 1s facihtated in another manner by the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Here the indications are marked on a drum 27, ]O111Illl6(l on a spindle 28 and arranged-to present 'a portion of its periphery close -to.the window 25. A

pinion 29 is carried by orformed in one with the drum and meshes with the teeth 30 formed in the periphery of the disk 23 so that the latter acts. as a cooperating pinion to rotate the indicator drum on the rotation of the switch contact. The ratio of teeth is predetermined to insure the appearance the switch.

The drum is mounted in any suitable manample clearance for the pinion 29.

The constructions shown may be varied in many ways to adapt the invention to the' particular use to which it is to be put and the embodiments shown are to be regarded as merely illustrative of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A switch comprisingan inclosing casing, a rotary switch piece within the. same, an insulating member inclosing and moving with said switch piece and means in connection with said insulating member for indicating the open or closed position of the switch.

2. A switch comprising an inclosing casing, a rotary switch piece within the same, an insulating member inclosing and moving with said switch piece and means in connection with said insulating member for indicating within the casing the open or closed position of the switch, said casing being apertured to permit the inspection of the indicator.

3. An electric lamp socket comprising line and lamp terminals, a rotary switch piece interposed between the same, an independent rotary indicator for indicating the on or off position of the switch and gearing operatively connecting said indicator to the switch piece.

4. An electric lamp socket comprising line and lamp terminals, a rotary switch piece interposed between the same, an independent rotary indicator for indicating the on or off position of the switch and gearing operatively connecting said indicator to the switch piece, a socket casing comprising cap and shell, the latter being apcrtured in mg ister with said rotary indicator to permit the inspection thereof, substantially as described.

.5. A switch comprising a rotary switch piece, an insulating ring surrounding the periphery of the switch piece, a rotary indicator disclosing the open or closed position of the switch and an operative connection between said ring and indicator.

6. A switch comprising a rotary switch piece, an insulating ring surrounding the periphery of the switch piece, peripheral tgwth formed in said ring, a rotary indicaor disclosing the open or closed position of switch and a. pinion thereon meshing with the peripheral teeth of the insulating ring on the switch piece, substantially as described.

7. An electric lamp socket comprising a casing apertured to afford a window, line and lamp terminals within said casing, a rotary switch interposed between said line and lamp terminals, a rotary indicator arranged within the casing at said window and an operative connection between said inwithin the casing at said window and gearing operatively connecting said switch and indicator whereby the latter is operated to indicate the on or off position of the switch.

9. A switch comprising a casing apcrtured to aii'ord a window, transparent insulation in said window, a rotary indicator arranged within the casing at said window, arotary switch piece in said casing and gearing between said switch piece and indicator for actuating the latter.

10. An electric switch comprising a rotary switch piece having a reciprocating movement longitudinally of its axis on actuation thereof, an independent indicator for indicating the on or oli position of the switch and an operative connection between said switch piece and indicator for actuating the latter on the actuation of the switch.

11. An electric switch comprising a retary switch piece having a reciprocating movement longitudinally of its axis 011 actuation thereof, an independent indicator for indicating the on or 01f position of the switch, peripheral gearing on said switch piece and gearing operatively connecting the same to the indicator.

12. An electric switch comprising a retary switch piece having a reciprocating movement longitudinally of its axis on the actuation of said switchpiecc, an independent indicator susceptible of only rotary dis placement, a peripheral gear on said switch piece, and a gear on said indicator in constant mesh with said peripheral gear on the switch piece.

13. An electric switch comprising a rotary switch piece having a reciprocating movement longitudinally of its axis on the actuation of said switch piece, an independent indicator susceptible of only rotary displacement, a peripheral insulating gear ring on said switch piece and a gear on said indicator in constant mesh with saidperipheral gear on the switch piece.

14. An electric switch comprising a rotary switch piece having a recipfocating move! Intestimony Whereof I have signed. my

ment longitudinally of its axis on the actuname to this specification in the presence of ation of said switch piece, an insulating two subscribing Witnesses.

member inclosing said switch piece, and GEORGE B. THOMAS. 5 means in connection With said insulating Witnesses: member for indicating the on or off p0- G. W. GOODRIDGE,

sition of the switch. H. M. WIGHERT. 

